Information processing apparatus, information processing system, information processing method, and information processing program

Abstract

According to an embodiment, an information processing apparatus, comprises a database configured to store a first list of commodities determined as having been removed from a store display shelf and a second list of commodities registered by a customer in a sales transaction using a mobile terminal. A processor is configured to detect that a commodity has been removed from a store display shelf based on entry of the commodity on the first list, detect a registration of the commodity by the customer in the sales transaction based on entry of the commodity on the second list, and measure an elapsed time from the time of detecting that the commodity has been removed from the store display shelf. When the elapsed time exceeds a threshold value without the registration of the commodity being detected, the processor causes an output of warning notification information.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An information processing apparatus for theft prevention in a retail store including store display shelves with commodity detectors and passage sensors, the apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface connectable to a mobile point-of-sale terminal and a plurality of store display shelves having commodity detectors and passage sensors; 
 a database configured to store a first list of commodities determined as having been removed from a store display shelf based on output of a commodity detector of the store display shelf and a second list of commodities registered by a customer in a sales transaction using the mobile point-of-sale terminal; and 
 a processor configured to:
 detect that a commodity has been removed from the store display shelf based on entry of the commodity on the first list; 
 detect a registration of the commodity by the customer in the sales transaction based on entry of the commodity on the second list; 
 measure a first elapsed time from the time of detecting that the commodity has been removed from the store display shelf; and 
 cause an output of warning notification information to the mobile point-of-sale terminal via the communication interface if the first elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected, wherein 
 
 the database is further configured to store information from the passage sensors indicating whether the mobile point-of-sale terminal is presently in front of the store display shelf, and 
 the processor is further configured to:
 detect the mobile point-of-sale terminal has passed the store shelf display by referencing a list of mobile point-of-sale terminals detected by the passage sensors as passing a first passage sensor of the store shelf display without passing a second passage sensor of the store shelf display in the database, 
 measure a second elapsed time from detecting the mobile point-of-sale terminal has passed the store shelf display, and 
 causing the output of the warning notification information via the communication interface to the mobile point-of-sale terminal if the second elapsed time exceeds a second predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The information apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the first list is updated to reflect the commodity being returned to the store shelf display, 
 the second list is updated to reflect a cancelled registration of the commodity, and 
 the processor is further configured to:
 measure a third elapsed time from when the registration of the commodity is cancelled, and 
 causing the output of the warning notification information if the third elapsed time exceeds a third predetermined threshold time before the first list is updated to reflect the return of the commodity to the store display shelf. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 cause a theft notification to be output to a store clerk warning device via the communication interface if the first elapsed time exceeds a second predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected, the second predetermined threshold time being greater than the first predetermined threshold time. 
 
     
     
       4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the warning notification information is transmitted to the mobile point-of-sale terminal and a store clerk warning device via the communication interface. 
 
     
     
       5. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is a central processing unit. 
     
     
       6. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the warning notification information is output via the communication interface to each of the mobile point-of-sale terminal, a warning device on the store display shelf, and a store clerk warning device. 
     
     
       7. An information processing apparatus for theft prevention in a retail store including store display shelves with commodity detectors and passage sensors, the apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface connectable to a mobile point-of-sale terminal and a plurality of store display shelves having commodity detectors and passage sensors 
 a database configured to store a first list of commodities determined as having been removed from a store display shelf based on output of a commodity detector of the store display shelf, a second list of commodities registered by a customer in a sales transaction using the mobile point-of-sale terminal, and a third list of mobile point-of-sale terminals detected as being in front of the store display shelf based on output of a passage sensor of the store display shelf; and 
 a processor configured to:
 detect that a commodity has been removed from the store display shelf based on entry of the commodity on the first list; 
 detect a registration of the commodity by the customer in the sales transaction based on entry of the commodity on the second list; 
 detect a passing of the mobile point-of-sale terminal past the store display shelf based on entry of the mobile terminal on the third list; 
 measure a first elapsed time from the time of detecting the passing of the mobile point-of-sale terminal past the store display shelf; 
 measure a second elapsed time from detecting by the commodity detector the commodity being removed from the store shelf display; and 
 cause an output of warning notification information to the mobile point-of-sale device after the passing of the mobile point-of-sale terminal past the store display shelf is detected without the registration of the commodity being detected, wherein the output of warning notification occurs only after the first elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected and the second elapsed time exceeds a second predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The information apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the first list is updated to reflect the commodity being returned to the store shelf display, 
 
       the second list is updated to reflect a cancelled registration of the commodity, and
 the processor is further configured to: 
 measure a third elapsed time from when the registration of the commodity is cancelled. 
 
     
     
       9. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 cause a theft notification to be output to a store clerk warning device via the communication interface if the first elapsed time exceeds a third predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected, the third predetermined threshold time being greater than the first predetermined threshold time. 
 
     
     
       10. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the warning notification information is transmitted to the mobile point-of-sale terminal and a store clerk warning device via the communication interface. 
 
     
     
       11. An information processing method for theft prevention in a retail store including store display shelves having commodity detectors and passage sensors, the method comprising:
 detecting that a commodity has been removed from a store display shelf by a customer based on entry of the commodity on a first list stored in a database, the first list listing commodities determined as having been removed from the store display shelf based on output of a commodity detector of the store display shelf; 
 detecting a registration of the commodity by the customer in a sales transaction based on entry of the commodity on a second list stored in the database, the second list listing commodities registered by the customer using a mobile point-of-sale terminal; 
 measuring a first elapsed time from the time of detecting that the commodity has been removed from the store display shelf; 
 causing an output of warning notification information to the mobile point-of-sale terminal if the first elapsed time exceeds a first predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected; 
 detecting the mobile point-of-sale terminal has passed the store shelf display based on a list of mobile point-of-sale terminals detected as passing a first passage sensor of the store shelf display without passing a second passage sensor of the store shelf display in the database; 
 measuring a second elapsed time from detecting the mobile point-of-sale terminal has passed the store shelf; and 
 causing the output of the warning notification information to the mobile point-of-sale terminal if the second elapsed time exceeds a second predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein
 the first list is updated to reflect the commodity being returned to the store shelf display, 
 the second list is updated to reflect a cancelled registration of the commodity, and 
 the method further comprises: 
 measuring a third elapsed time from when the registration of the commodity is cancelled; and 
 causing the output of the warning notification information if the third elapsed time exceeds a third predetermined threshold time before the first list is updated to reflect the return of the commodity to the store display shelf. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the warning notification information is transmitted to the mobile point-of-sale terminal via a communication interface. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising: causing
 a theft notification to be output if the first elapsed time exceeds a third predetermined threshold time without the registration of the commodity being detected, the predetermined threshold time being greater than the first predetermined threshold time. 
 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the theft notification information is transmitted to the mobile point-of-sale terminal and a store clerk warning device via a communication interface. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the mobile point-of-sale terminal is a cart-based point-of-sale terminal.